Supreme Court extends Jayalalithaa’s bail

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the bail period granted to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and four other accused till May 12, 2015, in connection with the disproportionate assets case.

Earlier last week, the apex court referred a plea seeking removal of a special public prosecutor in the case, after a division bench gave conflicting opinions.

This implies that the Karnataka High Court has to pause until a newly formed three-judge bench of the Supreme Court first confers a concluding decision on the question whether the entire appeal proceedings held in the past three months were quashed due to the presence of Special Public Prosecutor Bhavani Singh.

Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four years in jail on September 17, 2014, in a high-profile corruption case that has lasted for almost 20 years.

Jayalalithaa was found guilty of “disproportionately” amassing about Rs. 530 million outside her known sources of income by a special court.

It also forced Jayalalithaa to legally step down as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, which she had been holding since 2011 under her latest term.

However, she was granted bail by the Supreme Court on October 17, 2014, on the grounds of poor health.

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day without transacting any business on Wednesday as a mark of respect to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi who died in Chennai on Tuesday.

The presiding officers of the two Houses made obituary references and paid homage to the 94-year-old political stalwart.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan described him as a visionary and a true leader of the masses and said his death “is an irreparable loss to the country and marks the end of an era”.

The members stood in silence for a short while.

A 2 Minute Silence Was Observed For M. Karunanidhi, After His Passing On Tuedsay. Flickr

In the obituary reference, Mahajan said Karunanidhi, an astute administrator, in his “long and illustrious political career” showcased his “admirable leadership qualities and worked relentlessly for the cause of the people, particularly the marginalised and the downtrodden sections of the society.

“A multifaceted persona, Karunanidhi rose to become the most celebrated screenwriter in the Tamil film industry, using the cinematic medium to deliver his political ideas to the masses. The 1952 box office hit ‘Parasakthi’, in particular, was a turning point both in Tamil cinema and for Karunanidhi,” she said.

In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said Karunanidhi was actively engaged in social and public life.